ATLANTA (ABP)—Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Executive Coordinator Daniel Vestal sent an Inauguration Day letter congratulating Barack Obama and urging the newly sworn president to lead America in building a more civil and just society. Vestal pledged to pray for Obama, his…
Churches in 18 Virginia associations complete 2008 ACP
Virginia Baptist leaders are acknowledging the 18 district associations affiliated with the Baptist General Association of Virginia in which all churches completed the 2008 Annual Church Profile (ACP). Leaders also have praised the contact persons who collected the information. Each…
What does Obama’s inauguration mean for Christians and Americans in general?
Transformation: From exclusion to inclusion By Elwanda Cornelius More than ever the world has looked to our nation as it is being transformed from being exclusive to becoming inclusive. This dream is becoming more of a reality with the election…
Childs makes ‘tiny stitches’ in lives of children, youth in Croatia
ATLANTA (ABP) — Elaine Childs, one of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship’s field personnel in Cakovec, Croatia, likes to think of her work in Roma villages as analogous to lace making, a well-known Croatian trade since the 15th century. “Most of…
Church with woman pastor expects further rebuke from Georgia Baptists
DECATUR, Ga. (ABP) — A church denied voting rights in the Georgia Baptist Convention because it is led by a woman pastor could face further sanctions, Pastor Julie Pennington-Russell reports in the church newsletter. In a recent meeting with representatives…
Former youth minister pleads guilty to sending explicit emails to teen
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (ABP) — A former American Baptist youth minister has pleaded guilty to sending sexually explicit emails and photos to a 15-year-old girl he was counseling. At his arraignment Nov. 5, David Esarey, 30, denied sending photos to the…
Website seeks to rally support for women’s ordination
CONROE, Texas (ABP) — A former Baptist General Convention of Texas employee and her husband of 47 years have started a website urging Baptist women to speak up for their rights to be ordained as deacons and senior pastors. A…
Baptist foundation loses money in Madoff scandal
OKLAHOMA CITY (ABP) — At least one Baptist group lost money as part of Bernard Madoff's alleged $50 billion Ponzi scheme. The Baptist Foundation of Oklahoma said it lost $1.4 million, less than 1 percent of its assets, when third-party…
Prominent Dallas pastor accepts BGCT post
DALLAS (ABP) — Jim Denison has resigned as senior teaching pastor at Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas to become founding president of the Center for Informed Faith and theologian-in-residence with the Baptist General Convention of Texas. The new Center…
Birmingham site of first of four regional New Baptist Covenant meetings
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (ABP) — Planners of a Jan. 31 gathering of diverse Baptist groups hope a national mood set by the election of America's first African-American president will spill over into renewed relationships between black and white Baptists. "We are…
Christian social entrepreneurs measure success by a different yardstick
HONG KONG (ABP) — A growing number of Christian businesspeople — who see entrepreneurial ventures as missional opportunities — believe doing good and doing well don’t have to be mutually exclusive. These Christian social entrepreneurs are committed to using their…
Religious torture opponents pleased, concerned by Obama executive order
WASHINGTON (ABP) — Religious opponents of torture expressed simultaneous approval and concern Jan. 22 about a series of executive orders by President Obama upending his predecessor’s policies on detention and interrogation of terrorism suspects. On his second full day in…